FunPlus Phoenix dominated Fnatic, punched its ticket to the 2019 League of Legends World Championship semifinals, and guaranteed that an LPL team will make the trip to Paris for the finals.
FunPlus came into the Knockout Stage with a new, polished game plan. The team left behind the alternative picks and settled for traditional compositions after a wild group stage performance. That change in strategy seemingly took Fnatic by surprise, as the European team couldn’t live up to expectations and fell flat in the match.
The second series of the Worlds quarterfinals was not what fans were expecting.
Fnatic was coming off a winning streak where they took down SK Telecom T1 and Royal Never Give Up. It seemed like Fnatic finally found their identity and were ready to make it all the way to the finals. In reality, the LEC’s second seed was more disconnected than ever.
Unlike the previous series where the games were decided by a single play, this series was extremely one-sided. FunPlus outplayed Fnatic at every turn and the players were superior in every aspect. The execution from FunPlus was almost flawless, with the exception of game three where Fnatic managed to get the victory.
Overall, FunPlus was the superior team. The LPL representative didn’t need crazy picks to make it to the finish line. They went back to basics and that was enough to crush a helpless Fnatic.
Every single player on FunPlus’ side had a highlight moment during the series, but Kim “Doinb” Tae-sang and Gao “Tian” Tian-Liang stood above the rest. This series proved that the better jungle-mid duo always wins. The synergy between Doinb and Tian did the trick for FunPlus, who made it look like the easiest series in the tournament.
It’s a bittersweet end for Fnatic who couldn’t fix their internal issues in time for the Knockout Stage. Each player was on his own island, resulting in poor communication and questionable decision-making. More often than not, the Fnatic players opted to go for risky and unnecessary plays.
FunPlus is advancing to the next stage where they will face Invictus Gaming. LPL fans can rest assured that LoL Worlds 2019 will have a Chinese team in the final.
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
